Man didn’t save drowning woman because he ‘had no one to give his phones’

A man from Uganda has been trending on Twitter, receiving criticism for apparently just watching a woman drown when he could have done something to save her. A TV screenshot of the man being interviewed shows subtitles on the screen of the man saying: “She jumped and fell into the water. I wanted to save her but I had nobody to give my phones.”

According to the Twitter user who shared the screenshot, the woman drowned while allegedly running away from agency members who did not want her to sell handkerchiefs on the streets.

This man watched a woman drown. He said he could swim & thought of jumping into the water to save her. But he had his phones in his pockets. pic.twitter.com/qbKsI2vYf5

— David F.K. Mpanga (@dfkm1970) August 4, 2017

The man has divided Twitter, with some saying he was just being honest, while some alleged he had compared human life to his phones.

“I watched the clip on the news and couldn’t believe my ears. So sad how we value material possessions more than human life. Gosh, phones,” wrote one angry Twitter user.

Some said he did the right thing as he too would have drowned because he wasn’t a trained lifeguard. Had he jumped in, he would have died too, they argued.

Check out the rest of the comments below:

Poverty of the Mind and the Pocket. 😢

— Sheilla Nduhukire 🇺🇬 (@Snduhukire) August 5, 2017

He is just being Frank! That's how Ugandans have been pushed to the wall. She was hawking hankies, capital 20.000, died trying to save it.

— Ingrid Turinawe (@IngridTurinawe) August 5, 2017

These agencies have become insensitive and beastly. Can determine when to take ones life.

— Jimmy Kiberu (@KiberuJimmy) August 5, 2017

Don't judge…… only ask what you would have done if it were you in his place. Honestly.

Read more

Tragic drowning in KZN claims life of local man

— Uncle P🇺🇬 (@pntimba) August 6, 2017

How could he voice a thought so base! But I wonder:isn't it in all of us to observe, to not act. Maybe we're repelled by our own reflection😔

— Audrey Dralega (@ADralega) August 4, 2017

I'm appalled tbh. What have humans turned into?

— The Retweeter (@Abdvlkarxxm) August 5, 2017

This has made my day, he would have just shut up

— Norman Katende (@nkatende) August 5, 2017

I see most of these commenting would do the same. Only that they wouldn't open their mouth.

— AK (@jakanyijuka) August 5, 2017

I watched the clip on the News and couldn't believe my ears. So sad how we value material possessions more than human life. Gosh, phones!!!

— Jennifer A. Okech (@ajokech) August 4, 2017

https://twitter.com/R850Mango/status/893825014172180480

That's honesty x2. I think many would do the same, but few would be as honest. Man has been enslaved by a simple gadget, phone.

— Ramathan Ggoobi (@rggoobi) August 5, 2017

I don't get y people r angry with this man. A lot of u c brutality in Kampala daily and just look away. How different is this man?

— Patrick Walugembe (@apwalugembe) August 5, 2017

Were does he even get the guts to open his mouth en say such nosence. How much were his phns. Were is the spirit of Obuntu/togetherness

— EDWIN (@muedwin12) August 5, 2017

That's a tricky one! His phones would have disappeared the moment he put them out to save the poor lady. And going down with them 🤔🤔

— Don SM Kafeero (@sdkafeero) August 5, 2017

https://twitter.com/xfancy4life/status/893895767102021633

Too bad, he can't be charged of negligence. He's not a Lifeguard

— James (@Byron__3) August 6, 2017

Not everyone that can swim can save a life, we might end up with two dead bodies in the water.

— James (@Byron__3) August 6, 2017